Women's Basketball Downs Vermont For Third Straight Win

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BURLINGTON, Vermont - Nine different Crusaders scored as the Holy Cross women’s basketball team used a full-team effort to beat the University of Vermont, 65-40, on Wednesday, November 28.

Junior Lauren Manis led the way with 23 points, 11 rebounds – her fifth double-double in six games – and two blocked shots, while junior Megan Swords had a career-high 13 rebounds, including 11 offensive boards, to go with 12 points. Freshman Avery LaBarbera had a collegiate-best 10 rebounds with six points. Senior Maggie Locke, playing her first minutes since 2016-17, recorded two points and two boards.

Holy Cross has now won its past three games, including two straight on the road, to improve to 4-2 overall on the year. Vermont falls to 3-4 on the year.

The Crusaders held Vermont to 26.2 percent from the field, including shooting 0-for-12 in the fourth quarter. Hanna Crymble led all Vermont scorers with 15 points in the contest.

Manis helped Holy Cross get ahead early, scoring six of the Crusaders’ first eight points as the team led 8-0 just more than three minutes in. Vermont came within 10-7 with 47 seconds remaining in the first, but freshman Oluchi Ezemma notched a layup with 28 seconds to go to give the Crusaders a 12-7 edge after one.

The Catamounts stayed within striking distance early in the second quarter, trailing by four, 20-16, with 3:55 to go in the frame before Holy Cross went on an 11-0 run to lead 31-16 with 1:37 left in the half. Crymble had a layup with 21 seconds to go to stop the run, but the Crusaders still led 31-18 headed into halftime.

Though Manis drained a three to open the third quarter, Vermont began to climb back in the game, following that 3-pointer with a 12-4 run over the course of the next five minutes. The Crusaders held steady, pushing their lead back to 12 with 45 seconds to go before Sarah Wells had a late three for the Catamounts. Vermont outscored the Crusaders 20-16 in the frame, but Holy Cross still led, 47-38.

The fourth quarter was all Holy Cross, as the Crusaders outscored the Catamounts 18-2. Holy Cross opened the period on a 14-0 tear, capped by a jumper from Locke, prompting a timeout from Vermont as the Crusaders led 61-38. After the timeout, Crymble made a pair of free throws with 4:42 to go; those would serve as Vermont’s first and only points of the frame.

This is Holy Cross’s largest margin of victory since an 83-56 victory at Rider on November 18, 2017; it is also the lowest point total Holy Cross has held an opponent to since a 65-37 victory at Loyola (Md.) on February 25, 2015.

The Crusaders return home on Sunday, December 2 for a nonconference contest against the University of Massachusetts-Lowell. Tipoff is set for 1:05 p.m. at the Hart Center.

Season and single-game tickets to see the Crusaders are on sale now. Make sure you don’t miss the opportunity to see the best collegiate basketball in Central Massachusetts! Tickets for Holy Cross basketball can be purchased online at GoHolyCross.com/tickets or over the phone by calling 1-844-GOCROSS.